The building compliance certificate (شهادة امتثال المباني) is issued by the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing through the Balady platform. It confirms that an existing or new building meets set criteria, mainly the removal of visual distortion, and it is valid for three years. It does not test fire systems itself, but a new building receives it automatically once the occupancy certificate (building completion certificate) is issued, and the occupancy certificate needs final inspection approvals, test results and as-built drawings. That makes fire system testing and the handover file the step that unlocks both certificates.
Key takeaways
- The building compliance certificate is issued on Balady, is valid for 3 years, and its stated aim is to keep buildings free of visual distortion.
- New buildings get it automatically after the occupancy certificate. Existing buildings apply for it separately on Balady.
- The Executive Regulations of the Saudi Building Code Implementation Law require final inspection approvals, test results and as-built drawings with the occupancy certificate application.
- Civil Defense monitors fire prevention and protection requirements at every stage of construction and operation. The Salamah safety licence for a business activity is a separate process.
- Late sprinkler, fire pump or fire alarm tests, or an incomplete handover file, delay occupancy and so delay the compliance certificate for a new building.
In this article
- What is the building compliance certificate and what does it cover?
- How does the building compliance certificate relate to the occupancy certificate?
- Where does Civil Defense come in before occupancy?
- Fire system tests the occupancy file needs
- The handover file: what to prepare before applying for occupancy
- Mistakes that delay occupancy and the compliance certificate
- Existing buildings: do they need fire system tests for the compliance certificate?
- Frequently asked questions
- Conclusion
What is the building compliance certificate and what does it cover?
On 17 September 2023 the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing announced the building compliance certificate on the Balady app. According to the Saudi Press Agency, its purpose is to make owners of commercial and residential buildings keep them free of visual distortion. An interactive map shows the roads covered, and existing buildings had a correction period that ended on 18 February 2024.
The Ministry’s Building Compliance Certificate Procedures Guide (version 2, 2023) defines it as a regulatory document issued for existing and new buildings against set criteria. It applies to residential, commercial and government buildings in phases and zones set by the Ministry, and it is valid for three years.
Many owners miss one point. The guide’s evaluation items deal with the condition and appearance of the building. The guide does not mention Civil Defense or fire protection systems. A compliance certificate therefore does not mean the building’s fire systems are tested or approved, and it does not replace the Civil Defense licence for a business activity.
How does the building compliance certificate relate to the occupancy certificate?
This is where fire systems come in. The Ministry’s guide says a new building receives the compliance certificate automatically after the occupancy certificate is issued. Under the Executive Regulations of the Saudi Building Code Implementation Law, published in Umm Al-Qura in February 2023, the occupancy certificate is “a permit to occupy the building issued by the municipal authority after confirming the building complies with the code”.
Three articles matter directly to the owner and the fire contractor:
- Article 16: a building may not be occupied until the municipal authority issues an occupancy certificate.
- Article 17: after completing construction, the permit holder applies for the occupancy certificate and attaches the required permits, final inspection approvals, tests and as-built drawings.
- Article 18: the application is decided within three working days after code compliance is verified, and the certificate must state whether fire prevention and protection systems are provided.
In practice, fire system test results and as-built drawings are part of the occupancy certificate file, and the occupancy certificate is what the compliance certificate for a new building is based on.
| Document | Authority and platform | What it confirms | Link to fire systems |
|---|---|---|---|
| Occupancy certificate (building completion) | Municipal authority (via Balady) | Code compliance and permission to occupy | Direct: needs inspection approvals, tests and as-built drawings, and states whether fire protection systems are provided |
| Building compliance certificate | Ministry of Municipalities and Housing (via Balady) | Building criteria and visual distortion, valid 3 years | Indirect: issued to new buildings after the occupancy certificate |
| Civil Defense licence (Salamah certificate) | General Directorate of Civil Defense (Salamah platform) | Safety requirements for the facility and its activity | Direct: depends on safety equipment, systems and maintenance contracts by activity category |
Where does Civil Defense come in before occupancy?
Article 9 of the Executive Regulations sets out the code duties of the Ministry of Interior (General Directorate of Civil Defense). They include monitoring code application and violations related to fire prevention and protection “at all stages of construction, maintenance, operation and storage”, coordinating the fire protection qualification of engineering offices and contractors, and appointing fire protection inspection bodies.
Fire requirements therefore start at design and continue through construction. The technical reference is the Saudi Fire Code (SBC 801), together with the NFPA standards the designer adopts for each system. After occupancy, a facility running a business activity needs a Civil Defense licence through the Salamah platform, a separate process explained in our Salamah certificate guide.
If your project needs a Civil Defense requirements review, our Civil Defense approval support service covers that stage, and AZEIDK issues the safety equipment installation certificate for the systems it installs. A Salamah technical report comes from an approved engineering office, and we can coordinate with that office.
Fire system tests the occupancy file needs
The required tests come from the installation standards adopted in the design, the manufacturer’s instructions and Civil Defense requirements. On Saudi projects the list usually includes:
Sprinkler networks and hose cabinets
Hydrostatic pressure testing of the piping, then flushing, the main drain test, the inspector’s test and the waterflow alarm. Pressure values and durations are covered in hydrostatic pressure testing of fire fighting networks. The contractor records aboveground piping results on the Contractor’s Material and Test Certificate form in NFPA 13.
Fire pumps
The field acceptance test under NFPA 20: running the pump at the required flow points, testing the electric motor or diesel engine, and checking the controller and its start signals. See fire pump acceptance testing and commissioning.
Fire alarm and interfaces
Testing every detector, manual call point and sounder to NFPA 72, then the response sequence: flow switches and valve supervisory switches reporting to the panel, HVAC shutdown, lift recall and smoke control where provided.
Gas suppression and hydrants
Room integrity (door fan) testing for gas suppression rooms and hydrant flow testing to measure the water supply, where the project includes them.
AZEIDK delivers this stage through its testing and commissioning service: written test procedures for each system before work starts, recorded results, a snag list followed by retesting after corrections, and the commissioning reports the handover file needs.
The handover file: what to prepare before applying for occupancy
Article 17 asks for “tests and as-built drawings”. For fire systems that means an organised file the supervising consultant and the authorities can review quickly:
| Document | Contents | Usually prepared by |
|---|---|---|
| As-built drawings | Actual pipe routes, sprinkler, valve and detector locations, pump room | Systems contractor, approved by the supervisor |
| Test and commissioning reports | Pressure, drain, pump, alarm and interface results, signed and dated | Systems contractor, witnessed by the supervisor |
| Datasheets and approved submittal | Data and approvals for the equipment actually installed | Contractor or supplier |
| O&M manuals | Manufacturer instructions and periodic inspection schedules | Contractor or supplier |
| Inspection certificates | Available equipment certificates and signed test forms | Contractor |
Compiling this file and checking it against what was installed is the scope of AZEIDK’s documentation and final handover service. Final deliverables depend on the contract and the project.
Mistakes that delay occupancy and the compliance certificate
- Testing before related systems are complete, such as testing the alarm before flow switches are fitted, so the whole test is repeated.
- As-built drawings copied from design drawings without the site changes.
- Tests without signed, dated forms, or without the supervising consultant present.
- Applying while the snag list is still open.
- No datasheet for equipment substituted on site with an item not in the approved submittal.
- The fire pump controller not left in automatic mode, or main valves not supervised by the alarm panel.
Existing buildings: do they need fire system tests for the compliance certificate?
Under the Ministry’s guide, the owner of an existing building enters the building permit, title deed and occupancy certificate data on Balady and confirms the evaluation items are met. The owner then attaches a technical report from an approved engineering office or books a site visit by a municipal inspector. The guide’s items do not include fire systems.
That does not remove the duty to maintain them. Facilities need a Salamah licence for their activity, and existing systems need periodic inspection and proper records. See the fire safety log book and maintenance records for what a facility should keep.
Frequently asked questions
What is the building compliance certificate in Saudi Arabia?
A regulatory document issued by the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing through Balady for existing and new buildings against set criteria, mainly visual distortion. It is valid for three years.
Is the building compliance certificate the same as the occupancy certificate?
No. The occupancy (building completion) certificate permits occupation after code compliance is confirmed. The compliance certificate is issued automatically to a new building after the occupancy certificate.
Does the building compliance certificate need Civil Defense approval?
The procedures guide does not mention Civil Defense. Civil Defense does monitor fire protection requirements at every construction stage, and the occupancy certificate that comes first needs final inspection approvals and tests.
Which fire system tests are needed before occupancy?
They follow the installation standards adopted in the design. They usually include sprinkler network pressure testing and flushing, fire pump acceptance testing, and fire alarm and interface testing.
How long is the building compliance certificate valid?
Three years under the procedures guide. It is renewed on Balady using the current certificate data.
Does the building compliance certificate replace the Salamah certificate?
No. The Salamah certificate is a Civil Defense licence for the facility and its activity, with its own requirements by activity category.
How long does the occupancy certificate take?
Article 18 of the Executive Regulations requires a decision within three working days of the application, after code compliance is verified. Real delays usually come from missing tests or documents.
Conclusion
The building compliance certificate does not test fire systems. For a new building, though, it follows the occupancy certificate, and the occupancy certificate rests on approved tests and as-built drawings. Start testing early, close the snag list and have the handover file ready before you apply.
Need fire system testing and a handover file before occupancy? The AZEIDK team prepares test procedures, records results and organises the handover file for fire fighting and fire alarm systems. Talk to the AZEIDK team
